86R14526 JAM-F
 
  By: Paddie H.B. No. 2498
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the procedure for acting on an application for a permit
  for a surface coal mining and reclamation operation.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 2003, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 2003.0465 to read as follows:
         Sec. 2003.0465.  HEARINGS FOR RAILROAD COMMISSION. (a)  In
  this section:
               (1)  "Commission" means the Railroad Commission of
  Texas.
               (2)  "Division" means the Surface Mining and
  Reclamation Division of the commission.
         (b)  This section applies only to a hearing conducted on
  behalf of the commission under Section 134.062, Natural Resources
  Code.
         (c)  Each issue considered in a hearing referred by the
  commission must have been raised in a timely manner by an affected
  person in a comment submitted by that affected person in response to
  a permit application.
         (d)  In a contested case hearing, the filing with the hearing
  examiner of the final technical assessment of the application, the
  application, the recommendation for the issuance of the permit by
  the division, and other sufficient supporting documentation in the
  administrative record of the permit application establishes a prima
  facie demonstration that:
               (1)  the application meets all state and federal legal
  and technical requirements; and
               (2)  a permit, if issued consistent with the
  application and the final technical assessment of the division,
  would be eligible for the required findings under Section 134.066,
  Natural Resources Code.
         (e)  A party may rebut a demonstration under Subsection (d)
  by presenting evidence that:
               (1)  relates to an issue for which a hearing is
  conducted by the commission under Section 134.062, Natural
  Resources Code; and
               (2)  demonstrates that one or more provisions proposed
  in the application violate a specifically applicable state or
  federal requirement.
         (f)  A party rebutting under Subsection (e) a demonstration
  made under Subsection (d) bears the burden of persuasion.
         (g)  If in accordance with Subsections (e) and (f) a party
  rebuts a demonstration made under Subsection (d), the applicant or
  the division may present additional evidence in rebuttal to support
  the application.
         SECTION 2.  Section 134.062, Natural Resources Code, is
  amended by adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows:
         (c)  For the purpose of a contested case hearing held by or
  for the commission, "affected person," "person affected," or
  "person who may be affected" means a person who has a personal
  justiciable interest related to a legal right, duty, privilege,
  power, or economic interest affected by the contested case hearing.  
  An interest common to members of the public does not qualify as a
  personal justiciable interest.
         (d)  In determining whether a person has a personal
  justiciable interest or whether an affected association is entitled
  to standing in a contested case hearing within the commission's
  jurisdiction, the commission:
               (1)  may consider:
                     (A)  the merits of the underlying application,
  including whether the application meets the requirements for permit
  issuance;
                     (B)  the likely effect of regulated activity on
  the health and safety of the hearing requestor, and the use of the
  hearing requestor's property;
                     (C)  the administrative record, including the
  permit application and any supporting documentation;
                     (D)  the analysis and opinions of the Surface
  Mining and Reclamation Division of the commission; 
                     (E)  whether the interest claimed is protected by
  the law governing the permit that is the subject of the application; 
                     (F)  whether a reasonable relationship exists
  between the interest claimed and the regulated activity; 
                     (G)  the likely effect of the regulated activity
  on the use of the affected natural resource by the person; 
                     (H)  for a governmental entity, the entity's
  statutory authority over issues relevant to the application; and 
                     (I)  any other expert reports, affidavits,
  opinions, or information submitted on or before any applicable
  deadline to the commission by the executive director, the
  applicant, or a hearing requestor; and
               (2)  may not find that:
                     (A)  a group or association is an affected person
  unless the group or association identifies, by name and physical
  address in a timely request for a contested case hearing, a member
  of the group or association who would be an affected person in the
  person's own right; or
                     (B)  a hearing requestor is an affected person
  unless the hearing requestor timely submitted comments on the
  permit application.
         SECTION 3.  (a)  The changes in law made by this Act apply
  only to:
               (1)  a permit application that is filed with the
  Railroad Commission of Texas on or after the effective date of this
  Act; or
               (2)  a judicial proceeding initiated on or after the
  effective date of this Act that challenges an act or decision of the
  Railroad Commission of Texas made during a permit proceeding.
         (b)  A permit application filed or a judicial proceeding
  initiated before the effective date of this Act is governed by the
  law in effect when the permit application was filed or the judicial
  proceeding was initiated, and the former law is continued in effect
  for that purpose.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.